It made little sense at the time when the tailback de­cided to transfer from Auburn to Ar­kansas State, and it makes less sense today.

The opportunity to return to his home state and play for a friendly face in Gus Malzahn was offset by the strict NCAA transfer requirements.

Like Auburn -- well, not like Au­burn, but technically speaking -- Ar­kansas State is a member of the Foot­ball Bowl Subdivision. Transfer from one FBS school to an­other, and you have to sit out a year before you can play unless your new school petitions for a waiver and the NCAA grants it.

It's not impossible to have such a waiver granted, but the NCAA needs a legitimate reason and substantial proof, which it had in the case of Au­burn fullback Jay Prosch. His mother's battling brain cancer, and he'll be able to play immediately for the Tigers this season after trans­ferring from Illinois.

Arkansas State petitioned on Dyer's behalf, though the reason for the peti­tion hasn't been made clear. It must not have been clear enough to the NCAA, which said no.

The takeaway from the ruling: The NCAA is unfair, and Dyer was unwise. He should've employed the Isaiah Crowell exit strategy. More on the former Georgia tailback in a min­ute.

There are no better parallel exam­ples of the absolute absurdity of the NCAA system than Malzahn and Dyer. The coach can move from Auburn to Arkansas State and coach right away, and he doesn't have to answer the first question or fill out a single form.

The player can move from Auburn to Arkansas State, too, but unless he can document something like a family illness or a financial hardship, he has to sit out a year before he can play.

Dyer knew the rules before he left Auburn because a school official ex­plained to him the ins-and-outs of the transfer system. He knew there was no guarantee that he would be able to play right away for the Red Wolves.

The possibility that he'd become el­igible for the NFL Draft in 2013 before he became eligible to line up in the A-State backfield that same year should've informed his choice of a new home.

In short, he should've been as smart as Crowell.

Alabama State AD Stacy Danley confirmed to me Thursday that Crowell is transferring there. He'll start school Monday and be eligible to play this season because ASU is a Football Championship Subdivision school.

Imagine that. A week after getting charged with three crimes for having a handgun under the seat of the car he was driving and getting kicked off the Georgia team, Crowell gets a chance to start over at Alabama State.

This season. Forget sitting out a year. Crowell will barely have enough time to unpack before he takes his first handoff.

His arrest wasn't the first time Crowell had gotten in trouble in Athens. He was suspended twice a year ago during his freshman season, once for a quarter, the other time for a game. Now he's following the well-traveled underground railroad of talented but troubled football players from the SEC to the next level down in this state.

You can question those schools for accepting players with baggage, but each case is different. Jax State coach Jack Crowe believes in second chances, and the chance he gave Perrilloux worked out for both of them. The Gamecocks won football games, and Perrilloux made the roster of the New York Giants.

As Crowe did up front with Perrilloux, Danley said Alabama State thoroughly examined Crowell's background before deciding to accept him. Danley said Alabama State fully expects that Crowell will make the most of this opportunity.

Practically speaking, Dyer would've been smart to go the FCS or Division II route himself to guarantee he could play right away. Unlike Crowell, who's two years away from the NFL Draft, Dyer can turn pro next year.

It would be an upset if he didn't.

Meanwhile, the two guys who would've been the top returning tailbacks in the SEC have left the building. If Crowell can get his mind right, he could shred the SWAC.